Safety device for cars



T. M. WALLIS. SAFETY DEVICE FOR CARS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. I920.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

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T. M. WALLIS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. 1920.

1,398, 1 20. Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

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ATTORNEY T. M. WALLIS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR CARS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1920,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. WALLIS, OF GURDON, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ANDREW HcCORMICK, OF NASHVILLE, ARKANSAS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22,1921.

Application filed June 19, 1920. Serial 1T0. 390,218.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. WALLIS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Gurdon, in the county of Clark and StateofArka'nsas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety Devices for Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to safety devices for railway cars and is especially designed for application to motor driven or other light cars.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a safety device for attachment to cars of the above description, which will prevent the cars from entirely leaving the rails and overturning where derailment accidently occurs.

Another object is the provision of a safety device of the above character, which may be raised to an inoperative position when the car is being purposely removed from the rails to facilitate such removal.

Another vobject is to provide in connection with the above mentioned device, a sweeper which travels in advance of the track wheels for the urpose of cleaning the rails and thereby re uce the danger of derailment.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of'construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims. a

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a railway motor car equipped with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the car truck showing the latter derailed.

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side view showing the rail sweeper holder in section.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of that portion of the invention shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the rollers and sweeper in raised position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, there is illustrated a railway motor car to which the invention is applied. This car may be of any desired type, the one shown comprising a platform which is supported upon a truck 11. Mount ed upon the platform are seats 12, while a motor 13 also carried by the platform and operatively connected to the wheels 15, serves as a means for propelling the car. Any suitable means may be provided for controlling the motor such as a foot pedal 16 located in advance of the front seat 12. The car is also equipped with brakes 17, which may be also controlled by a foot pedal or b any other desired means.

T e invention consists iniproviding a safety device which prevents overturning of the car in the event of derailment. This device comprises a bar 18, one of which is located at each end of the car beneath the truck and in advance of the Wheels 15. One

tion, there is provided a hook 21 which is pivotally connected to the car and adapted to engage the bar. I Y

The bars 18 are normally disposed above the rails and out of contact therewith and are provided at each end and at spaced intervals throughout their length with lugs, preferably in the form of rollers 22, so that in the event of the wheels leaving the rails, the bars 18 will engage the. tread of the rails while the rollers 22 will engage the sides of the rail heads and limit the lateral movement of the car with respect to the rails and thereby prevent the sa1d car from overturning.

In order to reduce the danger of derailment the front bar 18 is provided near its opposite ends with forwardly extending arms 23 and secured to the outer ends of these arms are sleeves 24. Mounted for sliding movement in each of the sleeves 24 is a member 25 which may be made of any suitable material, the upper end of this member being provided w1th threads for engagement with a knurled adjusting nut 26 which forms a etc for engagement with the upper end of t e sleeve 24 to properly position the member 25 with respect to the rails. This member 25 travels above the treads of the rails immediately in front of the wheels 15 and acts as a sweeper for the purpose of clearing the rails of any obstruction which might act to derail the car. Any desired means may be provided for securing the rods 19 to the bar 18, one of such means being illustrated in Fig. 5. This consists in providing the lower end of the bars 19 with oppositely extending apertured ears 29 which receive bolts 28 extending through the bar 18, one of such bolts also passing through the arm 23 to provide securing means for the said arm. The rod 19 is preferably rectangular in cross section and one edge of the arm 23 contacts with one side of the rod so as to prevent the said arm from turning.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed is:-

1. The combination with a railway car, of a bar disposed transversely thereof at each end of the car and normally arranged above the rails, means extending downwardly from the'bar for engagement with the rails when the wheels of the car leave the track, means for pivotally connecting the bar to the car, whereby the latter may be raised and means for holding the bar in raised position.

2. The combination with a railway car, of a bar disposed transversely thereof at each end of the car, means for securing the bar in position whereby the latter will be normally disposed-above the rails, means extending downwardly from the bar for engagement with the rails when the wheels of the car leave the track and a rail sweeper carried by the bar securing means and located in advance of the wheels.

3. The combination with a railway car,- of a bar disposed transversely thereof at each end of the car, means for securing the bar in position whereby the latter will be normally disposed above the rails, means extending downwardly from the bar for engagement with the rails when the wheels of the car leave the track, a rail sweeper carried by the bar securing means and located in advance of the wheels and means whereby the sweeper may be adjusted with respect to the rails.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THOMAS M. WALLIS. 

